Chapter 32

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 32: The Emergence of Bloodlines (1)

Those who possess Black Dragon Blood gain Powers once their Synchronization Rate surpasses a certain threshold.

The first power they acquire is Dragon Combat Aura.

The next is Black Scale Armor.

This much is common knowledge in Hyukcheon.

For Kwon Hanul, this was the second time acquiring a power.

However, the power he had just unlocked was not Black Scale Armor.

“‘Demonic Dragon Scale Armor’ has been unlocked.”

Despite the name being different, Kwon Hanul wasn’t particularly surprised.

He already knew that True Black Dragon Blood differed from other grades.

Right now, what mattered was the enemy in front of him.

The Mei Clan warriors charging toward him—each wielding weapons imbued with Shura Energy.

Weapons laced with Shura Energy could pierce even Dragon Combat Aura.

Even the elite of Hyukcheon had to be cautious before such weapons.

But as always, nothing in this world is absolute.

“Attack together!”

“Aim for the joints!”

The Mei Clan warriors swung their weapons, each following a different trajectory, attacking Kwon Hanul from all angles.

“‘Demonic Dragon Scale Armor’ activated.”

The armor crafted by Master Craftsman Park Tae-sik, known as Aryongtae, was now overlaid with the Demonic Dragon Scale Armor.

Originally a grayish hue, Aryongtae was instantly dyed pitch black.

Clang!

With a sharp metallic sound, the Shura-infused weapons bounced off as if they were mere toys.

“Damn it! He’s summoned the Black Scale Armor!”

This was precisely why the Mei Clan could never surpass the Hyukcheon Clan.

Black Scale Armor was so sturdy that even Shura-infused weapons couldn’t easily penetrate it.

“Fall back! Look for an opening!”

“Target the parts not covered by the armor!”

The Mei Clan was well-versed in countering Black Scale Armor.

As powerful as it was, the armor was difficult to manage.

The larger its surface area, the more Mental Energy it required to maintain—exponentially so.

Thus, even Hyukcheon warriors could only generate a limited coverage of Black Scale Armor.

The Mei Clan warriors circled Kwon Hanul, searching for unprotected areas.

But soon, they realized.

“There’s no gap…?”

Black Scale Armor—no, Demonic Dragon Scale Armor—completely enveloped Kwon Hanul without a single opening.

The purer the bloodline, the easier it is to wield powers.

Kwon Hanul, a Trueblood, neither hotblooded nor half-blood, could freely manipulate powers he had just acquired.

Covering himself entirely in Demonic Dragon Scale Armor was nothing to him.

“No choice—overwhelm him with force!”

“Drain his Mana!”

“Strip off his armor!”

The second weakness of Black Scale Armor: massive Mana consumption makes it unsustainable over time.

Simply maintaining it was taxing—being attacked would deplete even more Mana at once.

The Mei warriors focused their Mana into their Shura-infused weapons. Their already crimson blades glowed an even deeper red.

“Haaah!”

The Mei Clan warriors simultaneously unleashed Shura Energy in a focused assault against Kwon Hanul.

“Got him!”

They cheered—such an intense barrage would surely deplete his Mana entirely, leaving him wide open.

But their faces quickly froze.

Despite taking the full brunt of Shura Energy, Kwon Hanul stood unscathed.

Not only that—Demonic Dragon Scale Armor remained fully intact.

“H-How is he still standing?”

“Even a pureblood couldn’t maintain Black Scale Armor this long…”

Their miscalculation.

Demonic Dragon Scale Armor, like Demon Dragon Combat Aura, was a superior version of Black Scale Armor.

In durability, duration, Mana efficiency—it surpassed Black Scale Armor by multiple levels.

Even after that focused attack, the armor didn’t have a scratch.

What’s more, Kwon Hanul possessed Healthy Bloodline.

Even if his stamina and Mana depleted, Healthy Bloodline enabled rapid recovery.

Thanks to it, Kwon Hanul could maintain his armor without burden.

“What an amazing power.”

He couldn’t help but admire the capabilities of Demonic Dragon Scale Armor, beyond even his expectations.

“With this, I’ve got no reason to hold back.”

The Mei warriors immediately understood the meaning behind those words.

A power that could indefinitely block Shura weapons.

With such a power, why fear the Mei Clan at all?

Kwon Hanul charged straight at them. Their faces turned pale.

“H-He’s coming right at us!”

“Hold the line—don’t give him ground!”

The Mei warriors began scattering. Kwon Hanul activated yet another power.

“Demonic Power ‘Monarch’ activated.”

A fierce gale erupted, propelling him forward at even greater speed.

He overtook the fleeing Mei warriors and rushed into their midst.

“Y-You bastard!”

“Attack him!”

Blades slashed from all sides. Ignoring them, Kwon Hanul prepared Black Dragon Ascension Art.

Black Dragon Ascension Art - Basic Form

Rapid Strike Form – Twelve Flash Strikes

Shura-infused weapons scraped against his armor without effect.

At the same time, Kwon Hanul’s fists moved with blinding speed.

In mere moments, Mei warriors were struck in the abdomen, solar plexus, and philtrum—one after another.

Struck in three vital points, the Mei warriors spurted blood like fountains, collapsing like bowling pins.

“Impressive.”

Even more surprising, Demonic Dragon Scale Armor amplified the power of Demon Dragon Combat Aura.

He’d never heard of Black Scale Armor doing this—it must be a unique trait of Demonic Dragon Scale Armor.

“You got careless!”

“Where do you think you’re looking?!”

Mei warriors flanked him from behind.

Axes, hammers, flails—weapons designed to pierce armor—struck at his head and back.

Even if the armor held, the shock would transfer, injuring him internally.

Boom!

Metal clanged repeatedly—but Kwon Hanul didn’t budge an inch.

“W-Why’s he still fine…?”

Demonic Dragon Scale Armor wasn’t just armor—it absorbed shock as a basic function.

Kwon Hanul raised his leg and slammed the ground with force.

Black Dragon Ascension Art – Basic Form

Crushing Strike Form – Overflowing Flow

Cracks spread in a reverse triangle pattern, engulfing the ground beneath the Mei Clan warriors.

Then, it exploded.

“Gaaahhh!”

“Aarghhh!”

Debris-laced Demon Dragon Aura slammed into them. Screams and blood burst out simultaneously.

“M-My god.”

“How do we fight this…?”

All eyes, filled with terror, locked onto Kwon Hanul.

Scanning his surroundings for the next target—

Suddenly, a slash of Aura flew from afar, sending him sliding back upon impact.

Looking down, he saw something shocking—a deep gash along his armor’s midsection.

Whoever launched that attack was at least on par with him.

“You withstood my strike? You’re no ordinary bastard.”

Kwon Hanul looked up. A man exuding intense killing intent stood before him.

“I step out for a bit, and this is what I return to?”

Kwon Hanul assessed him.

Clearly weaker than Mei Rong.

Weaker than Strongest Fist.

But far stronger than the other Mei warriors he had crushed thus far.

‘A mid-tier master.’

If Kwon Myung-woo and Mei Rong were the faces of the clan, mid-tier masters were the foundation.

They weren’t famous, but with the clan’s support and ample experience, they couldn’t be underestimated.

‘And it’s not just him.’

He could feel it.

Other masters were gathering at the battlefield.

“Hey, Hyukcheon’s black worm. You’ve held out for a while, huh? But now that I’m here—it’s over.”

“Correction—we’re here.”

“Damn right.”

Two more figures appeared beside the man. They were martial artists of similar caliber.

Kwon Hanul moistened his lips, thinking to himself.

‘This is bad.’

One of them alone would be a tough opponent. But it wasn’t just one—it was three. And the possibility of more reinforcements was high.

He couldn’t expect help either. The other four were in situations just like his.

‘Seriously bad.’

Against those three, even the Demonic Dragon Scale Armor wouldn’t be enough. From this point on, he’d have to brace himself to at least lose an arm.

“Hey, this guy’s hilarious.”

One of the mid-tier martial artists let out a dry laugh.

“You’re grinning with us standing right in front of you?”

Just as he said, Kwon Hanul was laughing—wide enough to show his canines.

Like a child. As if the bloodbath about to begin had him thrilled beyond reason.

“Fine. If you're that excited, we’ll give you what you want.”

“Did the clan head say we could kill him?”

“If you’re worried, we’ll just start by cutting off his arms and legs.”

The three infused their weapons with Shura's Aura. A chilling energy surged toward Kwon Hanul.

And then—

A massive explosion erupted nearby.

The shockwave collapsed buildings and split the earth. A storm of dirt and stone fragments blasted in all directions.

“Wahahaha!”

At the epicenter of the explosion—

Kwon Myung-woo let out a deafening roar of laughter.

“Greatest Sword of Central Plains! Head of the Mei Clan! Truly impressive!”

Despite the praise from Kwon Myung-woo, the two men could only gasp for breath, unable to reply.

To push the Mei Clan’s top two martial artists this far—Kwon Myung-woo’s strength was unbelievable.

“Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist, how long do you intend to drag out this fight, when the result is already decided?”

Having caught his breath, the Mei Clan Head spoke to Kwon Myung-woo.

“What nonsense. Ah, are you saying the outcome is decided in your favor?”

“I am a warrior responsible for my clan. I know the state you’re in. Enough with the bluffing.”

“What?”

“You must be feeling your stamina depleting by now, aren’t you?”

Indeed, Kwon Myung-woo wasn’t unscathed.

He was covered in cuts and his aura had visibly weakened.

The artifacts he used had lowered his physical capabilities.

Combined with the relentless assault from the Mei Clan’s best, even the Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist couldn’t avoid fatigue.

“How much longer can you hold out? A day? Ten hours?”

“Don’t worry. Before I run out of stamina, your skulls will be crushed.”

“Ha.”

The Mei Clan Head laughed mockingly and raised his hand high.

A pulse radiated from the heart of the Mei Clan’s territory.

As the wave washed over him, the Mei Clan Head’s body changed.

His wounds healed rapidly. His drained energy and stamina fully restored.

Not just him—all Mei Clan members exposed to the pulse were healed.

“Now, what do you think?”

With the same overwhelming aura from before, the Mei Clan Head spoke.

“There’s no doubt about the might of Hyukcheon. But this is the Mei Clan’s core. Everything here exists for our bloodline.”

And that wasn’t all.

“Do you feel it? The clan’s warriors who were out are returning. Many more than you defeated are gathering here.”

A triumphant smile spread across the Mei Clan Head’s face.

“If this drags out, the Mei Clan will inevitably win. What do you think, Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist? Starting to regret it yet?”

The Mei Clan, able to endlessly supply warriors and resources, versus the five isolated members of Hyukcheon.

The outcome seemed clear to anyone.

“Hyukcheon’s Greatest Fist. It’s not too late. Surrender now, and I’ll guarantee your life.”

Kwon Myung-woo remained silent. His uncharacteristic quietness deepened the Mei Clan Head’s smile.

“I’ll guarantee the safety of the rest of your bloodline as well. It would be wise…”

“Mei Clan Head, do you really think we declared war without a plan?”

The Mei Clan Head looked puzzled.

“What are you talking about?”

“If Hyukcheon acted purely on emotion, we wouldn’t have survived this long.”

A slight crease appeared on the Mei Clan Head’s brow.

“You make it sound like you have an escape plan.”

“Escape? Do I look like someone who’d run away in disgrace?”

Kwon Myung-woo raised his head and shouted, “Mi! How much longer?”

Even while engaged with Plum Blossom Seven Hands, Kwon Mi shouted back.

“Almost here!”

Hearing that, the Mei Clan Head was filled with confusion. ‘Here? What is? Arriving? Who?’

“C-Clan Head!”

A Mei Clan member ran up, panicked.

“T-The Chinese government just contacted us! Something is flying through Chinese airspace!”

“...What?”

“They said... no matter how many missiles they fire, they can’t bring it down…”

“What the hell do you mean?!” The Mei Clan Head yelled, anxiety twisting his face.

The Mei Clan warrior trembled as he replied, “They—they said a dragon is flying in…”

A dragon?

That single word yanked a forgotten memory from the Mei Clan Head’s mind.

“...No way.”

At that moment—

From afar, an immense Aura surged in the sky.

A pressure like millions of troops descending crushed the land.

Not only the Mei Clan Head—every Mei Clan member on that land looked up in a daze.

The white clouds split apart, revealing a black dragon.

“W-What the hell is that?!”

“A... dragon?”

The dragon plummeted to the ground. When it struck, an earthquake erupted.

The ground quaked, the world shook.

The Mei Clan members collapsed, unable to stay standing. Every building crumbled.

When the earthquake subsided—

“Phew.”

An old man stood where the dragon had landed, straightening his back.

“I’m busy as hell, and you call me out for this?”

He muttered a complaint. At that, Kwon Myung-woo burst into hearty laughter.

“You need to exercise sometimes, don’t you?”

“Exercise? You call this exercise? Flying here from my office nearly broke my back!”

“No one else could do it, so it had to be you.”

The old man clicked his tongue and shook his head. His eyes met the Mei Clan Head’s.

The Mei Clan Head’s face twisted in horror. The old man, on the other hand, smiled.

“Well, it’s been decades, hasn’t it?”

Blood rushed to the Mei Clan Head’s face. Consumed by rage, he roared, “Kwon Seonwoo!”

Head of the Hyukcheon Clan and Chairman of the Hyukcheon Group.

“Watch your tongue, brat. Don’t speak an elder’s name so lightly,” Kwon Seonwoo said, sneering.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]